Kindergarten of Miracles
by yxx
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya is a nervous five-year-old who transfers to Kiseki Kindergarten. Throughout his years there, he plays, goes on trips, and touches the heart of everyone in the Tulip Class, including a certain group of rainbow-haired kids. Kindergarten AU!
1. In which Kuroko makes friends

**A/N:** Welcome to the rewrite! I finally built up enough steam to finish a chapter. Finally. Now, I feel like this fic has become less light-hearted and more detailed, but whatever. It will still be cute and heartwarming and all of that.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my idea.

* * *

 **キセキの幼稚園**

 _Chapter 1, in which Kuroko makes friends_

* * *

His name is Kuroko Tetsuya, and he currently is facing possibly the largest crisis in his five years of life.

"Listen to the teacher, okay? I'm sure my Tetsu-chan will make lots and lots of friends!" His mother pats his head reassuringly, and Kuroko nods, even though all he wants to do is to cling onto her and never let go.

"But it's all strangers..." Would there be bullies? Kuroko used to be picked on, at least, when people actually did notice him. His earlier time at his old kindergarten was pretty miserable, since he was left in the corner whenever playtime came around during his first days there. Nobody wanted to talk to him either, until Ogiwara-kun approached him.

"Well, you always should try first, right? I'm sure a nice kid will talk to you." His mother gives him another long look before lifting him up and hugging him close. It's always been just his mother and Kuroko, since his father left them when Kuroko was little, so maybe Kuroko is a little too dependent on his mother, but he really is uneasy about a new school.

Why can't he be more cheerful? Like Ogiwara-kun...Friendly, popular with classmates…

"Okay..." Kuroko knows that he shouldn't delay his mother though, and eventually relents. He'll just have to see what will happen.

"That's my good boy. Now, go with Mihara-sensei!" Ushering him along slightly, Kuroko's mother smiles at the woman waiting patiently, who grins at Kuroko.

"Hi, I'm Mihara-sensei. I'll be your teacher from now on, okay?" She has a ponytail and looks nice, not scary and strict like Kuroko heard about teachers. His cousin Ayane, who is two years older, always tells a lot of horror stories about her teachers and how strict and mean they are.

Kuroko never takes her seriously, but her words do leave an impression on him.

"Okay. Nice to meet you, Mihara-sensei," Kuroko nods obediently, and Mihara-sensei smiles, gently taking him by the hand and starting to walk down the hall.

But…

"W-Wait. Please," Kuroko blurts out, and Mihara-sensei gives him a knowing smile.

"What is it, Kuroko-kun?"

"Can I just say goodbye one more time?" Kuroko cranes his neck to look back at his mother, who looks on with exasperated amusement.

"Of course." Mihara-sensei smiles again. She really is understanding towards Kuroko's hesitation, and he is grateful for that.

"Bye, mom. I'll try to be brave." Kuroko waves, and his mother waves back.

"You can do it, Tetsu-chan."

Satisfied and newly assured, Kuroko turns around, prepared for whatever life will throw at him next.

* * *

No. Kuroko is not _at all_ prepared for what life threw at him next.

"Please quiet down. Class, we have a new student today!" Mihara-sensei claps her hands, and the chattering children gradually calm down and return to their seats, all their rambunctiousness replaced by curiosity.

Why is it times like this that he _is_ noticed? Why won't his low presence be useful when he needs it the most?

Kuroko does not receive any answers to his questions, and he reluctantly shuffled up to the front of the classroom, feeling multiple gazes on him, almost burning him with the intensity.

 _Uwaaa…I hate attention after all…_

"His name is Kuroko Tetsuya, and I expect all of you to be friendly and nice to him. Please treat him like one of us, and I'm sure all of you will get along." Mihara-sensei is writing Kuroko's name on the chalkboard, and the little teal-haired boy is just about prepared to retreat to his seat when something worse happens.

"How about you introduce yourself, Kuroko-kun?"

"...!" At that instant, Kuroko wishes for nothing more than a big dark chasm to appear in the floor so that he could jump down and curl up where no one can see him. He doesn't want to talk in front of so many people…

...But he has to.

"Hi...I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, and it's nice to meet all of you. Please take care of me." He bows to be extra polite, and doesn't dare look at anyone. Stay low-key. That's what he's good at, right?

Not that it would be particularly effective when he's up in the center of the classroom.

"Kuroko-kun, your seat will be in the third row near the window, next to Aomine-kun. Aomine-kun, please raise your hand."

And sure enough, a tanned boy sitting in the back raises his hand. Reluctantly, Kuroko begins to walk to his seat, feeling his classmates' eyes following him where he goes. Or maybe it's just his imagination, but Kuroko can't be too sure.

Quickly taking his seat, Kuroko hesitantly glances at his new neighbor…

...who catches his gaze and grins.

"Hey, I'm Aomine Daiki! Wanna be friends?" He grins widely and holds a hand out, surprising Kuroko a little.

"Uh..." Do people become friends so quickly?

"I'm not going to hurt you or anything. You look like a cool kid. So...friends?" Aomine says the same thing again, and Kuroko decides to trust him and agree. He does want a friend after all, and Aomine looks nice.

"Okay," Kuroko says before reaching a hand out to shake Aomine's, managing a small smile of his own.

Aomine tries to say something else, but the teacher claps her hands, silencing the class once more.

"We'll be drawing a picture of your family. When you're done, you can enjoy Free Time!"

A chorus of small cheers erupt at the last part, and Mihara-sensei begins to pass out paper and crayons, walking down between the rows of desks.

Maybe this new kindergarten isn't that bad, Kuroko thinks.

* * *

Kuroko and Aomine had been talking about basketball when the teal-haired boy sees someone sitting by the bookshelf, alone.

"Who is that?"

The boy has red hair, and Kuroko didn't see him earlier among the other kids. He probably was just too nervous to notice.

"Oh. Akashi Seijūrō. He's really smart, but doesn't talk to anyone. Thinks he's king of the Tulip Class. I wouldn't go near him if I were you. People say that he has a pair of scissors he uses to threaten other kids!" Aomine doesn't give Akashi another glance, and seems to dislike him, actually, but now Kuroko is becoming more and more curious.

"Aomine-kun, wait a minute, okay?" Mustering up all the bravery he has, Kuroko leaves his seat to go to the bookshelf.

"Tetsu? Wait, are you really?! Don't say I didn't warn you." Aomine stops calling after Kuroko, who slowly approaches the reading boy, unsure of what to say.

A closer glance shows Kuroko the contents of the book, which had a lot of kanji that he can't understand. Wow…

Staring at the boy—Akashi, isn't it?—and the book, Kuroko feels a little envious.

But why is Akashi all alone?

"Can you not look over my shoulder?" A quiet but clear voice stuns Kuroko as he slowly stares into the crimson eyes of Akashi, whose brows are slightly furrowed as he snaps the book shut.

"Sorry..." But Kuroko doesn't want to back down just yet. Instead of doing anything else, he just picks up an interesting looking book and sits down beside Akashi, starting to read, only a little aware of the gaze still on him.

* * *

Akashi normally considers himself as a person with a quite even temper, but that certainly isn't the case today.

His mind is still very much fixated on his father's ominous words yesterday.

Somehow, his father always is the bringer of bad news.

" _Your mother's condition has worsened." That is all he says. His father stands as tall and stern as ever, not even seeming like he is noticing Akashi's distress, which is only somewhat visible now that he has a better control of his emotions._

" _I understand, father."_

And why is that boy sitting beside him? Did Akashi not make his mood clear enough? As stated earlier, Akashi is not feeling particularly charitable or kind.

"Could you just leave me alone?" His words come out stiff, not entirely angry but not very nice either. The boy, or Kuroko, seems to be stunned, not understanding that Akashi does not prefer company right now and wants him to _leave._

"You looked alone...I thought that you would want someone to keep you company. I kind of want to be friends with you, so..."

" _Friends are people who care about each other, Sei-kun. They help each other in times of need." His mother smiles, looking sickly but still happy._

" _I don't really have friends...I think I won't ever have any." It is true. No one approaches him at kindergarten._

" _Nonsense! You will make some when the time comes. My Sei-kun will definitely have good friends!"_

"I said, _get lost._ " Akashi's tone is starting to take on a dangerous sound that he himself doesn't like, along with the rather informal and rude way he just spoke, and he tries to glare at Kuroko to show that he doesn't want the boy here.

"...!" That seems to do the job effectively, and Kuroko retreats. However, he's still looking at Akashi in that strange way…

Shaking his head, Akashi opens the book again and goes back to reading _Kokoro_ by Natsume Soseki, and he is reaching the end.

Sensei is going to commit suicide...

* * *

Kuroko doesn't think that Akashi meant to be mean.

He did scare Kuroko for a second, with the sudden viciousness of his voice and the anger in his eyes, but maybe he's unhappy about something?

"See, Tetsu? I told you that he'd be like that." Aomine's voice is concerned but Kuroko shakes his head to say that it's fine.

"I think he's just lonely."

"You're really weird, Tetsu. In a good way, of course. One moment, you're still nervous about the new kindergarten, but now you're off befriending people, huh?" Aomine teases Kuroko and laughs, with Kuroko feeling embarrassed.

His fear of the new school turned out to be more temporary than anything in the end...

* * *

"Wait...a classmate glared at you and told you to get lost?!" Kuroko's mother seems horrified, leaving the little boy struggling to take back his words.

"No! Well, yes...but Akashi-kun didn't mean it." It sounds really weak, but Kuroko really thinks so. Akashi-kun seemed more...sad than rude, so he didn't mind.

"I will call his parents immediately. Let's see...the class directory is there." His mother doesn't listen to him, however, and immediately whips out her mobile to call Akashi's parents.

"Tetsu-chan, go to the kitchen and eat your dessert, okay? Mommy has to make a phone call." His mother's face grows a little angry at the end, and Kuroko, unable to defy his mother, reluctantly heads to the kitchen.

 _I hope Akashi-kun won't be mad...Sorry, Akashi-kun._

* * *

"What is this that I've been informed of? You glared at a classmate and told him to, I state here verbatim, 'get lost'?"

Akashi barely conceals his flinch, but he still stands up straight and looks his father in the eye as he is taught.

"I did the wrong thing and I will improve my behavior next time." It's the standard response, since his father makes it very clear that "sorry" is never to be uttered. An Akashi does not apologize, and a promise of improving next time is much more acceptable, his father always says.

"You have been very careless with our public image, and you are to go to your room now and reflect upon what you did. There will be no basketball for this week, understand? And I will see to it that you apologize." His father is raising his eyebrows and frowning again…(No wonder he has those wrinkles at such an early age, Akashi privately thinks.)

"Father...are you going to accompany me to the kindergarten?" Akashi tries to hide what must be a horrified look from appearing on his face. His father personally attending to his matters? That's certainly...rare.

"Also, We will be visiting your mother at the hospital this Saturday," His father finishes. What Akashi feels this time is sheer joy, but he tries to control that also. Poker face, poker face...

He would be seeing his mother again. Despite the loss of his free time, which he uses to play his favorite sport, basketball, he would get to see his mother!

"Yes, father," Akashi says with much more cheer than before, and he excuses himself quickly, not feeling the least bit unhappy as he heads to his room.

"Seijūrō." His father calls his name suddenly, and Akashi turns, a little surprised and curious.

"Yes, father?"

"If you have...any problems, I would encourage you to discuss them with me," his father says awkwardly, clearing his throat, which confuses Akashi greatly as he stares at the man.

What?

"...Sure?" A little unsettled by his father's words, Akashi hurries his pace as he heads for his room.

* * *

 **A/N #2:** I'm not going to make Akashi's father a totally unsympathetic character this time. He's not a great parent at all, but still cares.

Kokoro by Natsume Soseki is about a young man who befriends an older man he calls Sensei. Eventually, Sensei commits suicide. There won't be anything that extreme happening to our chibi protagonists here though, so don't worry if that line about suicide was worrying.

I guess the entirety of the Miragen are a bit too mature for 5-year-olds, but Kindergarten AU is more fun and gives me more liberty with the story.

URRGH. I deleted some chapters by accident before I copied the content! I do have the files in word or something, I think.

PLEASE FOLLOW/FAV/REVIEW!


	2. Akashi has a bad (?) day

**A/N:** Do any of you remember your kindergarten days? I don't, except for how dark the room was and that I couldn't understand English so I just sat around miserably. :P

* * *

 **キセキの幼稚園**

 _Chapter 2, in which Akashi has a bad (?) day_

* * *

"Um…"

Honestly, Kuroko has no idea what to do right now, when his mother is gripping his hand protectively as a tall red-haired man in a suit walks up to them with Akashi in tow.

The latter does not seem very happy to be here, at what seems like a dramatic confrontation. Kuroko doesn't either.

"I have already spoken with Seijūrō of what he did wrong yesterday, and I assure you that this will never happen again." Kuroko hears Akashi's father say that to Kuroko's mother, who's beginning to look a little...starstruck. Her anger seems to be fading away rapidly.

"I shouldn't have spoke to you in that hostile manner," Akashi says clearly, and Kuroko quickly nods to show that he's okay with it. Anything but staying like...this!

"It's alright. Mom...class is going to start?" Because they are attracting a bit of a scene, with how they are standing at the entrance of the kindergarten, with a fancy looking car (Rolls-Royce?) parked nearby.

"Okay. I trust that you are a responsible young man and will behave better. Bye, Tetsu-chan!" The first part is directed towards Akashi, but Kuroko's mother loses all of her seriousness when she says goodbye to him, even giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mom..." It really is embarrassing! Kuroko still waves at her though, hoping that no one saw that, even though he knows everyone probably did.

But is it just him, or is Akashi looking at him with an expression akin to envy?

* * *

Akashi's father is finally gone, but now he's in an awkward silence with Kuroko, who is glancing at him whenever he thinks Akashi isn't noticing.

"Why are you still here? I would think that you'd avoid me after our meeting yesterday," He states mildly, trying to see if Kuroko could be angered. Or even saddened, because this boy is somebody different, and Akashi wants to observe his personality.

"I still want to get to know you. I'm sure you didn't mean it," Kuroko says, further confirming Akashi's suspicions.

This boy is serious about their "friendship".

Strangely feeling amused, Akashi shakes his head before walking down the hall and entering the classroom. He places his backpack in the cubby before sitting down in his usual seat.

However, Kuroko follows him and sits next to him.

"..." How did he gain a personal stalker?

"I think that Akashi-kun is a good person," Kuroko continues to say, and Akashi gives him a good stare, studying him again.

Blue eyes stare back at red, and the corner of Akashi's mouth turns up. A little. He must say that Kuroko is pretty likeable, if you are observant enough to notice him, that is.

Gasps break out around the room, and Akashi discovers that they have the whole class as an audience. He'd been aware of eyes on them, but not this much/

"He smiled!" "Akashi-kun smiled!" "The Emperor smiled?"

...They're making such a big deal out of...a smile. Is he that unapproachable? Perhaps Akashi would need to adjust how he presents himself to his classmates.

He thought that he preferred acting solo and being alone, but maybe not?

"You're a strange person, Kuroko-kun," he concludes as a sort of acceptance of Kuroko's friendship requests. It's made on a whim, but he feels satisfied.

A friend, huh?

* * *

Akashi is pacing around the cubbies, searching his every once in a while as he fumes silently.

No book. Nothing. He had forgotten them and left them at home. He'd have to catch up when he gets home, and now he is stranded with nothing to do doing the "Free Time", which was basically thirty minutes allotted for inhuman shrieking and running around.

Feeling bored, Akashi returns to his seat, only to find it occupied by a china doll.

Really. A china doll. Complete with curls, eyelashes, a frilly pink dress, and little shoes.

Next to the china doll is the boy who has been worthy competition for top score on the occasional graded activities they did. Painstakingly brushed green hair, rectangular glasses, and a serious face. Midorima Shintarō, a strange boy who brings equally strange items to class every day.

"Excuse me. Your doll is in my seat," Akashi says politely, noting how strange this statement sounds.

"I see. I will move, nanodayo," Midorima says before picking the doll up and placing her in his lap. He is just sitting there, not really saying anything when Akashi takes a seat in front of him and turns around to stare.

"Why did you bring a doll?"

"It's my lucky item nanodayo. What's your astrological sign, Akashi-kun?" Adjusting his glasses, Midorima seems suddenly interested in this new topic.

"Sagittarius." How curious? He's interested about things like this?

Midorima instantly pales, starting to tremble slightly as he desperately pushes his chair back and away from Akashi, almost falling over in the process. Clearly, he is disturbed by the answer.

"D-Do not speak to me nanodayo! Oha-Asa says that a Cancer shouldn't talk to a Sagittarius today, or else they'll get bad luck." Frowning intensely, Midorima continues to move further away.

Akashi smiles, feeling a little sadistic. "But you just talked to me, didn't you?"

Midorima's eyes grow wide and he must have been too unsettled, for he topples out of the chair along with the doll, who meets a grisly end on the hard floor with a crashing sound that almost makes Akashi wince.

Midorima's eyes are trained on the cracked doll and its shattered arm for a while before turning to stare at Akashi. Just when Akashi is about to tell him to stay away from the broken china pieces, however, Midorima emits a noise that sounds like a strangled howl.

 _?_

"My luck! My luck! It's _gooooonnnne!_ " By now, they are acquiring an audience, being the children coming in from the playground.

Midorima is now bawling and rolling around on the floor, mourning the loss of his doll in a very...extreme way.

Mihara rushes in to comfort the distraught boy, who shakily points at the broken doll, and then at Akashi, promptly stunning the red-haired boy.

 _Brilliant. What a perfect misunderstanding._

"Don't let me near him! Waaah!" The last part has to be _on purpose._

...Or maybe not. Midorima seems truly distressed. But that doesn't mean he can blame it on Akashi.

At least Mihara seems to be reasonable. She takes Midorima outside the room, only coming back after a few minutes, with a hapless look on her face.

"Midorima-kun insists that you apologize for, ah...murdering his lucky item. I understand it may not be you, Akashi-kun, but I do need to start the afternoon's activity."

Basically a fancy way of saying: apologize. The kid won't stop crying unless you do.

Inwardly muttering things, Akashi follows Mihara outside, where Midorima is still cradling the doll.

"I must keep what luck I have left," he says, and Akashi thinks that nobody asked him for an explanation.

"I apologize, horoscope boy." Ignoring Mihara's calls and Midorima's look of indignation, Akashi walks back into the classroom, ignoring the pointing and whispers.

"Uwaaa...He's so scary."

"Akashi is so weird. He ignores everyone."

Despite a corner of his heart hurting a little at the comments, Akashi only gives them an unimpressed look, which scares away most of them. But what he doesn't expect is for Aomine, that friend of Kuroko's, to speak up.

"Will you all just shut up? What I hate the most is the fact that you people love talking behind other people's backs. Even if you don't like the guy, do you need to be gossiping about him all the time?"

How...straightforward. But it takes effect on the children in a way that Akashi's words probably never will, and they quiet down.

Aomine Daiki...Akashi hasn't paid him much attention before, but there seems to be more to the wide grin and outgoing attitude.

Akashi makes a mental note to keep observing him. And maybe he'll give him an extra cookie at snack time.

* * *

"Hmm...Today's snack supplier is Akashi-kun," Mihara-sensei says as she flips through her little book of records, and cheers erupt across the classroom.

It's to be expected, really. Akashi would never bring the cheap things you can buy anywhere to class, even if it's just a snack.

"Finally, it's Akashi!"

"He has the best things! All top class."

"Akashi-chama is so cute!" That comment is...somewhat unexpected.

Though it's disconcerting that they only like him for his snacks, Akashi retrieves the packets of cookies from his cubby, handing it out to the students one by one.

It's a rather large class, but alas, no one cares for him enough to help. Akashi's really beginning to doubt his social abilities now. Surely he could do better? Becoming a figure of power requires good relationships with peers after all.

"Do you need help, Akashi-kun?" He forgot about his new...friend there. It makes him happy somehow, that Kuroko would offer to help him.

"I would appreciate it." The packets feel like they're getting heavier as he holds them somehow.

"Aomine-kun will help too, right?" Kuroko says to the boy sitting beside him, who seems to be dozing off until he hears the words.

"Wait, what? Do I really have to—fine…" Aomine yawns before standing up and grabbing a few packets from Akashi, beginning to carelessly throw them to the remaining classmates waiting for a snack.

His method is questionable, but his aim is perfect, Akashi notices. He's heard about Aomine and basketball. A junior champion or something.

Snack time passes uneventfully, though an extremely tall boy with purple hair kept asking Akashi for more cookies...

* * *

Free time saw all three of them sitting at the bookshelf, Aomine being there reluctantly. However, finding a sports magazine seemed to have brightened his mood, as he is currently flipping through it, looking engrossed.

Akashi is skimming the books quickly, and after finding no interest in them whatsoever, tosses them to Kuroko. The process continues to be repeated, but Akashi hasn't found one of interest yet. He's already read stories about Urashima-tarō and Momotarō, and the other children's books aren't interesting at all.

Akashi wonders what it would be like if his parents had chosen for him to skip grades. Unfortunately, "emotional maturity" had been an issue that was stressed upon, though Akashi does not understand why it is something to be worried about.

The good thing about staying with his age group are these newfound friends, he thinks. He has to admit that they're decent company.

* * *

 **A/N 2:** Please Follow/Fav/Review!


	3. Of Nicknames and New Friends

**A/N:** Changed stuff, added more details, hope you like it.

* * *

 **キセキの幼稚園**

 _Chapter 3, Of Nicknames and New Friends_

* * *

It was a perfectly normal day. At least until Kuroko Tetsuya entered the door, when someone threw a backpack at him.

"Look! The ghost showed himself! Run away if you don't want to be scared to death by him sneaking up on you!" A spiky-haired boy gives Kuroko a nasty look and sticks his tongue out before running off, leaving the teal-haired boy stunned and still standing at the gate.

"Tetsu, are you alright?" Aomine is already rushing to ask after Kuroko in concern, and the teal-haired boy slowly nods his head.

"I'm fine, but they called me a ghost...Aomine-kun...they called me a ghost..." Kuroko is very affected by those words, what with his low presence and all.

"Oh, um, well, you're a human, of course." Aomine isn't too sure what to say, since Kuroko is kind of scary and ghost-like sometimes, when he just speaks out of the blue..

Wait, no. Aomine's supposed to be comforting Kuroko instead of thinking about this!

"So what if they call you ghost? Those names do not define you, in the same way that I'm not an emperor or a king or a rich brat or a scissors psycho or a know-it-all or a chuunibyou… I was even reported to the teacher once because some brat thought my eyes were scary. He's just ignorant. Children tend to be very cruel, and you should just ignore them." Akashi slowly walks towards them, saying all that with a straight face, and Aomine has to admit that his words make sense.

He also has a lot of nicknames.

Why is Akashi so good at talking? He sounds like the rich and suave guys in the soaps his mother likes to watch.

"Yeah, Tetsu. Ignore him." Now Aomine sounds kind of like a copycat, dammit.

"Alright. Thanks, guys." Kuroko still looks dejected, but at least he's smiling with a slightly more cheerful air about him.

"When did you become such good friends with Akashi anyway?" Aomine feels a little envious. Well, Tetsu had been interested in Akashi after all, but the boy isn't Aomine's favorite person.

"Oh, just a few days ago. Would Aomine-kun like to be friends with him?"

"Uh, no thanks." Akashi's a bit too mysterious and isolated for his liking.

"But Akashi-kun plays basketball, and..." Kuroko is saying something else, but all Aomine cares about now is the first part.

Basketball. A new rival.

"He does?"

"Does what?" Kuroko seems surprised by Aomine's enthusiasm, and the blue-haired boy repeats it again.

"Basketball."

"If you forgot, I'm here, and can answer perfectly fine. I do play. It's my only elective in my studies." Akashi pins Aomine with an unreadable look which the boy returns with a glare, meant as a challenge.

"Meet me at the playground. It's one-on-one. First to get five baskets win." Aomine doesn't even wait for an answer as he runs to his cubby to retrieve his basketball, but he hears the clear reply.

"You're on."

* * *

Aomine can't believe it.

He and Akashi have the same number of baskets! 4-4. Aomine's never had so much fun. They're attracting quite a crowd too, which just makes him even more pumped up and excited.

It's a challenge that is finally challenging, he thinks as he blocks Akashi's shot. This redhead is good. And by good, Aomine means _good._

But even if Aomine's enjoying the game, it doesn't mean that he will allow himself to be beaten. There's NO way he'll lose in his favorite sport. This Akashi guy may look thin and not strong, but he has a lot of tricks under his sleeve.

Akashi's making an attempt at a basket again, and Aomine moves forward to stop him, only to fall to the ground.

 _What?_

And during his surprise, Akashi takes his chance and gets his fifth basket.

Was that ankle breaker? Aomine is surprisingly feeling okay, despite some anger at losing. It's probably because he's finally met a good basketball player his age.

He may have lost, but he will accept the defeat with respect. Aomine's got to admit that he's impressed.

"You're not too bad. Next time I'll win," Aomine says, ignoring the calls of "Akashi-chama" by the groups of admirers.

"I look forward to it," Akashi says, and they shake hands.

* * *

"Now, I know you guys are excited for snacks, but first, sensei will hand out a small pre-test, okay? Just addition, since you need to be ready for elementary." Mihara-sensei has an apologetic look on her face as she listens to the complaints and groans.

"Why?"

"I hate quizzes!"

"Seriously? I can't even get one plus one right," Aomine exclaims, and Kuroko stifles a small giggle while Akashi smiles a little.

"You must be exaggerating," Kuroko says.

They do not speak anymore, because Mihara-sensei is already passing out the papers. The quiz, however unwanted it is, will still have to begin.

* * *

After a gruelling (in the other students' opinions, most likely) thirty minutes, Mihara is finally about to reveal the results.

Akashi sits proudly, expecting to be called up as the only one who got everything right. It's what he's used to after all, and besides, other than Midorima, there aren't much people to view as competition in this class.

"Only two people got everything right. Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun, congratulations!"

Hm. The horoscope boy scored higher than Akashi thought. But that's alright, he thinks.

"However, Midorima-kun was the only one to get the bonus question right. I didn't think anyone would get it, since it is much above the level I expect all of you to be at. Please come up for a sticker!"

It's that which shocks Akashi. Was it an addition mistake? How could he get something wrong?

Perhaps he looks a bit too incensed, for there are people whispering and laughing at him.

Staring at the green-haired boy as he walks up, Akashi frowns unhappily. It's a stuffed squirrel today, huh? Didn't know that he's into taxidermy.

That's not important. What is is that...how will Akashi's father take this news. He will definitely know. And if Akashi himself's pride can't take such a blow, how would his father react?

* * *

Akashi settled for observing Midorima during snack time. The boy had declined the candy, and is now working out problems in a notebook.

"You. How did you get the last problem right?" If Akashi remembers correctly, it is a question with a rather complicated process to solve. As Mihara said, it is quite above kindergarten level.

"I've tried one or two of those problems. By the way, Sagittarius's lucky item today is a violin. I wonder how you will get one, nanodayo." Midorima looks up at Akashi when he's talking with him, but soon goes back to his notebook.

Which, upon a closer look, isn't problems, but more horoscope things.

"I play violin, so that wouldn't be a problem. What's nineteen times two?" Akashi decides on a new topic—quizzing. He wants to see just how much Midorima knows.

"Thirty-eight," Midorima replies after a second. Akashi isn't all that surprised, but he presses on, wanting to find something Midorima does not know.

"Nine to the one half power?" Now, that should be much more difficult.

"Three," Midorima replies, and Akashi grudgingly admits that Midorima is also very ahead in his studies. At least, for mathematics.

"Who wrote _Crime and Punishment_?"

"...If we are going to continue this quizzing, may I ask you some questions?" Midorima seems half-annoyed and half-interested, and Akashi wonders if he knows that the answer is Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

"Alright."

"What are the most compatible astrological signs with Cancer?"

Somehow, Akashi knew that the question was coming. And he has barely any idea. So...guess? It's what he hates, but he'll have to do it.

"Capricorn?"

"No. To list a few, Taurus, Pisces, and Scorpio." Midorima looks a bit more smug now, and Akashi tells himself inwardly that it isn't important, that he shouldn't care about this question, that he doesn't need to learn astrology—

He'll be reading what books he can find once he gets home.

"Fine. You're better than me at that aspect," Akashi says, and they remain in silence again, with Akashi hearing only the sound of other kids talking and eating and the scrawl of Midorima's pencil on paper.

Midorima is a formidable opponent, and Akashi would improve. Aomine is also one, but in the athletics and basketball department instead. Kuroko…

He's quite different somehow.

These new friends (or maybe just acquaintances) of his are very interesting after all, Akashi thinks.

* * *

"Seijūrō. I heard that your teacher administered a small assessment today. Why didn't you answer all of them correctly?"

There his father goes again with the hot and cold personality. Occasionally, it seems like Akashi's father actually cares, albeit only a little, but that was enough to make him happy.

Now though. Now, Akashi's father is only the stern and hard-faced man he's grown so accustomed to ever since his mother collapsed with sickness.

"It was merely a pre-test. And the question was a bonus." His reasons are very weak, Akashi knows, but he still says every word confidently, to not show that he is intimidated.

"I had—"

"It does not matter. Bonus or not, it is still a question, and someone got it correct, did they not? If they can do it, why can't _you_ do it? All of this material is ridiculously easy! What have you been studying the past year for? What will I say when others ask of your studies? A member of the Akashi household cannot have bad grades, even if you are only in kindergarten. Do you hear me?" His father almost shouts out the words, and Akashi feels rather calm.

He's better used to this now. A long time ago, he would still have to bite back tears. But now it's better, at least.

"Yes, father."

Bitterly, Akashi wonders when and how he would finally be able to resent his father.

* * *

A/N 2: Kise's debut is next chapter. And then we can finally get to the fun...


	4. The Bully Threat

**A/N:** Kise appears! My possibly favorite chapter will be next chapter.

I used to have no idea what bokushi and oreshi is. Now I do, but I think the personality change will happen later. Or Kindergarten (3 years) can be pseudo-Teikō years, with elementary being next...

That's a bit...stupid, in my opinion. Like the good movies with bad sequels kind of thing.

* * *

 **キセキの幼稚園**

 _Chapter 4, The Bully Threat_

It is Free Time again, and Kuroko is about to go to the playground to meet Aomine when he sees a boy staring at his desk in the empty classroom.

Kise Ryōta? Kuroko hasn't talked with him before, but he knows that Kise has smiled at him once or twice. That was enough to make him well-liked by Kuroko. So of course, Kuroko's curious as to why Kise is all alone. He has a lot of friends, doesn't he?

Kise's the extremely popular child model in their class, perhaps even more so in the other classes. Everybody seems to be his friend, and he attracts a lot of girls too. It's almost expected for him to walk around every day with a bright smile on his face.

The Kise now though. He's not looking very happy. In fact, he looks quite forlorn and sad as he picks up a piece of paper and continues to stare at it.

"Um...Are you okay?" Kuroko tried to approach less discreetly, but Kise still jumps, looking around before spotting Kuroko.

"Whoa? You are..." He doesn't seem angry or mean about Kuroko's sudden appearance. That is promising.

"Kuroko Tetsuya. May I ask why you are unhappy?"

Kise gives him a doubtful look, but later nods, handing him the paper and pointing at the other markings on his desk that Kuroko had not noticed.

"Loser. Coward." That was what the note said.

A further look to the desk shows even more hurtful words, all written in black marker. It's probably new, or else Mihara-sensei would've noticed. She's in the teachers' office right now, Kuroko guesses.

"How mean...Who wrote these?" He already has in mind a couple of suspects, but he can't be too sure...

Kise seems about to reply, but a familiar voice cuts into the conversation, malice practically leaking from the tone.

"I did, ghost."

And Kuroko whips around to see Haizaki, the spiky-haired boy who came up with that cruel nickname that one day. He is smiling in a malicious way, and Kise glances at him defiantly.

Haizaki smirked again, looking at Kise. "That's what you get for talking to Rina-chan. She wouldn't like a freak like you anyway."

What? Kuroko does not have any idea what they are talking about. Rina-chan?

Oh...He can kind of guess though...

Kise looks furious as he glares at Haizaki, and he's about to jump forward, presumably to hit the spiky-haired boy, when Kuroko steps between the two of them.

He can't let them fight! They'd all get in trouble.

"What? Your jump scares won't frighten me." Haizaki is still talking viciously, and Kuroko wonders why he has to be so mean. Did they do anything to him?

"Y-You're helping me?" Kise gives Kuroko a confused look, and Kuroko understands, since they don't really know each other after all.

But he just wants to help. Kuroko remembers what being bullied was like.

"Fighting isn't good, and I've experienced this kind of thing before." Kuroko chuckles sadly, looking down at the floor for a while before giving Kise a small smile.

"You should tell the teacher. Or classmates. It won't help to bottle things up." He's not a psychologist or anything, but Kuroko knows. He hadn't told anyone, and the bullies only worsened their treatment of him.

It didn't get better until Ogiwara-kun found out and helped. He was the one who told Kuroko that they should tell other people and stop it. Kuroko had been too afraid back then.

The incident also caused Kuroko's mother to be quite overprotective.

Kise still looks stupefied, not understanding. But he tries to pull Kuroko back, only to be too late, since Haizaki is already running forwards with his fist out.

Kuroko shuts his eyes, preparing for a punch. Anything.

The pain he expects does not come.

Something had narrowly missed Haizaki's neck, and Kuroko opens his eyes to see a pair of red safety scissors and familiar red hair and eyes.

His heart thuds in his chest, not resting even when he knows that he's safe.

"Wha—" The scissors move closer to his neck, and Haizaki stops talking, staring angrily at the boy in front of him, who in turn betrays no emotion with his blank look.

Akashi Seijūrō.

"I advise you to refrain from anymore harmful actions towards these two." The scissors stay close to Haizaki, and Kuroko, grateful albeit frightened, stares at Akashi, who seems...a bit different. At least, different from his normal attitude.

"You're the stuck-up shorty..." Haizaki does not say anymore, and Akashi frowns, opening and closing the pair of scissors with a slow click click.

The comment seems to have touched a nerve. Kuroko inwardly notes to avoid saying anything like that in the future.

"What did you say?"

Kuroko is very much relieved that Akashi came to the rescue, but again, the boy looks a little bit different as he stands there.

(Was there a flicker in his eye?)

Kise is hiding behind Kuroko, clutching his shirt, and Kuroko looks at the blond boy haplessly. Is it really that scary? Well...admittedly, Akashi does look a bit psycho with the scissors.

"Fine. I'll leave you alone for now. Ghost. Freak. Shorty." Haizaki gives them all an angry look before running out the door muttering, leaving the three of them in the silent room, awkwardly looking at each other before Kise speaks.

"Thank you, Kurokocchi! Akashicchi!" Kise pulls them all into a hug, which surprises Kuroko immensely. Akashi is wriggling uncomfortably, trying to escape from the hug.

"-cchi?" Kuroko notices the interesting way Kise just addressed them. A pet name or something?

"You two are nice people, and I add -cchi to the names of people I respect." Kise smiles brightly, already back to his usual cheerful self.

"Oh, okay," Kuroko says. He doesn't mind, so it's fine.

"Hey, Tetsu. Why are you still here—" Aomine comes into the room with his basketball in hand, looking at them with confusion.

"Did something happen? And who're you?" The last question is directed towards Kise, and Aomine walks towards him, looking at him curiously.

"I'm Kise Ryōta. Don't you know?" Kise talks in a slightly condescending way, and Aomine frowns. The two of them look about ready to start an argument. Or a fight.

"Aomine-kun, why don't we go play some basketball?" Add emphasis on the last word.

Basketball always gets Aomine's mind off of things easily. Kuroko hoped that Kise and Aomine would become friends, even though their first meeting doesn't seem that ideal.

"You guys play basketball? I do too. It's the only sport that wasn't boring," Kise says, eyes lighting up at the word. He really is a nice person, Kuroko thinks. Cheerful and happy.

Kuroko smiles as they all head towards the playground. He has a feeling that all of them will get along really well.

* * *

The basketball games between them ended, and Kise is now quite impressed by Aomine and Akashi.

They really are good at basketball, better than any other kids he's played with before. Aomine's kind of annoying sometimes, but he's decent enough. And his skill is just...incredible.

"So how did you guys meet Kurokocchi? He's nice, but you know...the whole sudden appearances thing." Kise asks the question out of genuine curiosity to Akashi and Aomine. Kuroko is currently talking to the teacher about something, so he wouldn't be here to listen.

"He looked really scared of the new place, so I talked to him and found out that he's a pretty cool guy. The disappearing act works well with basketball too," Aomine says as he practices twirling the basketball on one finger.

Kuroko seems more at ease now though, if he was afraid when he first came. That's nice to see, Kise thinks.

"What about you, Akashicchi?" The red-haired boy is staring at something in the sky, or maybe he's just staring at nothing in particular.

"I was reading, and he came up to me. An...incident occurred, and he kept following me, wanting to make friends. I eventually accepted."

Kise wonders how Akashi always manages to look so mature and calm. And he speaks with an aristocratic air too. Very refined.

"But even though Tetsu is weird sometimes, he's a good friend," Aomine concludes, waving at Kuroko, who is coming their way.

"…Yeah." Just as they said, Kuroko always manages to brighten their moods up, no matter how down they were feeling before. He helped Kise from the bullying, which distressed him greatly, actually.

Kuroko may not seem special when you first look at him, but he's somewhat like an invisible pillar, always there for them.

* * *

A/N 2: Next chapter... Lunchtime Disaster.


End file.
